2018 Pro Wrestling thread

Indeed. I'm kind of sympathetic to the WWE with going on with the show. This whole thing blew up pretty late in the game, at the point where it probably wasn't easy to logistically or financially pivot and walk away. Principles are awesome, up to the point where you're actually running a business and planning on a large amount of cash coming in to fund your operations. Even for a successful business like WWE it's not always feasible to walk away from it when something like this pops up a few weeks from the event. There might even be things in the contract with Saudi Arabia preventing them from doing that after a certain date.
The thinking is probably along the lines of, "Let's just get through this and see what happens."
It'll be interesting, though, to see what they do after the show. I assume the next Saudi Arabia event is in April, so with more time to play with you wonder if they'll try to find a way out of the deal if the outrage doesn't simmer down.

 

The Daniel Bryan Cena thing really interests me. Like Johns mostly out anyway. Bryans trying to be full time.....prinicpals or not, being around sports locker rooms, I just know some of the boys are thinking “F this guy why do I have to go if he doesnt.” AJs going, Joes going, Takers going, Roman wooda gone.....makes you wonder who the leader of the Smackdown room is bc its probably not Bryan and hes one of the guys I wooda thought would be.

Not that Bryans even “wrong” in a real world sense, but the whole teammates/locker room dynamic fascinates me

 

Speaking of Daniel Bryan...

 

Loved the LMS match with Becky and Charlotte but there were flaws with the way it was called. Charlotte never got to her feet by the 10 count the previous two times the ref counted (least from what I remember) and Becky needs to learn to respond to the ref's "you ok" questions without the absurdly obvious shaking of her head yes.

Now, I get it, this is all nitpicky shit, but man this was a great match that couldv'e been that much better without seeing some obvious flaws.

 

Alas, Yokozuna, Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant remain holdouts from the blood prince's requests.

HOGAN TO HOST CROWN JEWEL | PWInsider.com

 

I noticed that too. However, I was thinking it was conceivable in the context of the match to think the ref would be asking the wrestlers, still in character, if they were OK and the wrestlers would respond. Although it would have been a good touch if Becky snapped at the ref saying something like, 'Of course, I'm OK, leave me the heck alone.'

 

I'll play devil's advocate. Maybe the leader is really, truly is Bryan, but he's the only one on SmackDown who can make this stand without losing his job or massive paychecks. Given how red the McMahons are politically, it can't be easy to say no when it comes to a show that produces money like this.

 

Wonder what the payday is for this one.

 

Its worth asking. Im curious if the wwe locker room functions like a sports team. If it does, Bryans not the “captain.” You cant be if you dont show up. It might not and Im sure the majority are with him politically.

It would be brilliant if they were self aware enough to use this in a future storyline about him being held back. Everyone thinks he was buried for not going, get the crowd mad about and recreate WM30. Not sure they have the stomach to step on that landmine but itd be good.

 

Have the Miz win the little Best in the World tournament by hook or by crook, then have him hold it over everyone, including mocking Bryan for not even being there. "Just like I have since the first day I stepped foot in a WWE ring, I showed up to Crown Jewel and put on a hell of a show while you were sitting at home, Daniel, because you didn't want to do your job like everyone else in the locker room."

 

You gotta think, if Taker and Bradshaw were still running that locker room like they were back in the day, would anyone really have the cahones to skip a show like that? Not to mention, shake up the card in a big way days before the event.

 

I so wish he would've said "It's great to be right here with all my Hulkimaniacs, right here in Syria!"